The characters entrances and exits have a function in the play
The entrance of the inspector altered the mood because until he came the scene was happy and the family was enjoying an engagement party. When the inspector entered the mood became darker .It allowed the play to progress because until then the family were enjoying themselves, the inspector’s entrance took the play in its real direction because that is when the questioning of the Birlings started. The inspector entrance created dramatic tension. It connected with what had just happened because Birling had been talking about how he needed to stay out of trouble if he was going to be knighted. “All we need to do is stay out of trouble”
The exit of Eric altered the mood because when he left the inspector said, “if he doesn’t come back I will have to find him" this made the mood more sinister because you are left wondering what did he did and what is going to happen next. It changed the play because it seemed something serious was happening and you are left wondering what is going to happen to Eric. It connected with what had just happened because the inspector starts asking where he is and he also starts a new line of questioning.
Priestly creates tension in the play & this contributes to engaging the audience
Priestly shows the underlying tensions in the play, which engage the audience, for example when Birling says, “to bad your parents couldn’t make it Gerald” he could be hinting at a deeper significance and it shows there are problems between the Crofts and the Birlings. The tension engaged the audience because they knew there was some problems in the family that were not out in the open. The way the characters said things often had a deeper meaning and it kept you interested in what was happening. The audience is given clues, which allows them to make links often quicker than the character.
At the end of the play priestly employs another technique by returning full circle to the beginning.
Priestly wants to give the characters a chance to get it right in the future. At the end they find out that the inspector was a fake but what it showed was that their individual actions were wrong and their actions and attitudes hurt people. In the end, like at the start of the play priestly highlights the Birlings attitudes. He moves the play into a new direction because we now know that the whole play was about showing the Birlings that their actions hurt people and their attitudes are also wrong. Also the ending showed the audience what would happen if your actions were selfish and were just about yourself. I was a warning that if you acted like the birlings bad things would happen to other people.
The inspector is a dramatic device
The inspector interests the audience by being mysterious; he carries an air of authority about him. Although he is of a lower class than Mr. Birling he treats him like it doesn’t matter and he annoys Mr. Birling and his family. For example “I think that is impertinent inspector” He is methodical in his questioning and he keeps the audience interested by not giving much away and seeming to know more about the Birlings then they think. Also the way that characters like Sheila are so frightened of him makes him more mysterious. “Mother he knows everything”. You also don’t know what he is going to do next. The inspector moves the story on because before he comes the characters are having a good time and they are celebrating. He comes along and the situation becomes serious. The inspector causes dramatic tension when he starts to question Birling and the other family members he makes everyone in the room uneasy and engages the audience. Priestly uses the inspectors character to put forward the main themes of the because he uncovers what the play is all about and that is showing that capitalist people like Birling are greedy and selfish.
Priestly uses his characters to make impressions on the audience.
Priestly shows Sheila listening to her conscience he makes her a character that is flawed but she has a good heart and is capable of change. She is willing to accept her mistakes and she wants to change “I’ve been so selfish”. She is also willing to help the inspector because she wants to see the right thing done “whose side are you on Sheila”. She wants to change, unlike Mr. and Mrs. Birling “You won’t change will you?” Birling is presented unfavorably because even after everything has happened he is not willing to change and he still thinks he is right.
“It was just a practical joke kids”. Birling is also an unfavorable character because he represents the capitalist middle classes who are greedy and doesn’t think the rich should help the poor. “Damn socialists”.
The characters reflect some of the historical background of the play, like the fact that Eva has to go to charity to try to get money and receives no support from the government and that women did not have the vote It also showed that workers had no rights because after the strike Eva was fired. Also, it showed that in those times if a woman got pregnant and she was not married she would most likely be left on her own.
Conclusion
In the essay I was finding out the techniques that Priestly uses to engage the audience. Priestly uses the characters well and keep’s the play controversial and provoking to engage the audience he highlights the class barriers and he always made the play dramatic to engage the audience. He uses history well and there was the play could change suddenly because he made the play go in different directions. For example Dramatic Device. I found out that there were many techniques that can be used to engage an audience and that you could use different characters in different ways to make them work.
